Legal Assistant in Texcoco, State of Mexico

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is a non-profit international research and development organization dedicated to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat systems to ensure global food security and reduce poverty. CIMMYT is seeking a dynamic, and organized professional with knowledge and proved experience in the legal and administrative areas to strengthen its Legal and Intellectual Property Units operating from CIMMYT Headquarters at Texcoco, State of México.

The selected person will have legal and administrative knowledge and experience complemented with a positive and strong service spirit, and an interest in agricultural and research-related aspects.

The CIMMYT Legal and Intellectual Property Units provides corporate and research-related legal and IP management services to CIMMYT scientific, administrative and managerial personnel located at CIMMYT Headquarters in Texcoco as well personnel working in the thirteen regional offices located in Africa, Asia, Middle East and Latin America.

The selected person will work at the Headquarter offices in Texcoco, State of Mexico, 40 minutes north east of Mexico city.

The main activities and responsibilities of the offered position are:

• To evaluate and review contracts in English and Spanish entered into with national and international entities, both public and private.
• To file, archive and manage contracts and related information in institutional systems, following logical relational methods.
• To carry out searches and analyses in English and Spanish of laws and regulations in diverse legal and IP areas of countries where CIMMYT operates and where it may seek dissemination of its research products.
• To assist in the elaboration of policy, informative and educative documents for CIMMYT personnel and external audiences in diverse legal and IP areas.
• To provide general support to the Managers of the Legal and IP Units.
• To carry out any other tasks assigned by her/his supervisors.

The candidates for the position shall meet the following criteria:

Essential requirements:

• Professional with at least five (5) years proved experience in the administrative and/or legal areas.
• Excellent spoken and written English and Spanish, at a professional level.
• Excellent skills in MS Office (advanced Excel) and database programs.
• Capable to work with a minimum of supervision, under pressure and limited time, with discretion and confidentiality, and geared towards results.
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a diverse, multi-professional and multicultural environment.
• In case of not holding a Mexican Passport, having a current government permit to legally reside and work in Mexico.

Desirable requirements:

• Sound computing skills and Project administration.
• Knowledge and/or interest in agriculture and development areas.
• Ability to communicate legal ideas and concepts to laypersons, in oral and written ways.

CIMMYT (www.cimmyt.org) is an internationally funded, non-profit research and training organization affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR, www.cgiar.org). The center is a global leader in scientific research and training related to maize and wheat, and in biotechnology, socioeconomics, and natural resource management research. These activities are conducted in partnership with national agricultural research systems, non-governmental organizations, and advanced research institutions, both public and private, in globally focused projects and programs. CIMMYT employs about 700 permanent staff and operates through decentralized partnership, with staff present in 19 countries, and projects and networks in many more.

CIMMYT is an equal-opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.

Apply Online or send a cover letter expressing your interest and a CV/resume (including contact details of at least two professional referees), by Tuesday,18 September 2012, to the Human Resources Department at nrsrecruitment@cgiar.org. Please, include theReference N12152 in subject of the email.
Note that only preselected applications will be contacted
For further information on the selection process, please contact Lic. Guillermo Flores, Recruitment and Selection Coordinator atg.flores@cgiar.org